One of the most recognizable microphones over the last few years has been the Blue Yeti line of condenser microphones. You can find them everywhere, from podcasters to gamers and musicians.

But why is this microphone so popular? What are the pros and cons? Hopefully, this Blue Yeti USB mic review will help you out.

Product Overview

First off, the Blue Yeti is among the most popular Multipurpose Condenser Microphones on the market at present. With a tri-capsule design, the silver Blue Yeti USB microphone provides a variety of selectable polar patterns for flexibility in recording and is capable of capturing audio in up to 16-bit, 48kHz resolution.

The microphone has a rather large design and comes in at 5 x 5.5 x 10 inches and weighs 3.8 pounds. The design sticks to the basics and has a nice retro look, so there’s nothing over the top here.

It is meant primarily for desktop use. It connects to a computer via USB port and is compatible with most operating systems like Windows and Mac OS X. On the microphone itself, there are controls for the headphone volume, pattern selection, a mute button and microphone gain.

As for its features, there are 4 patterns to choose from – cardioid, bidirectional, omnidirectional & stereo…

Stereo mode uses both the left and right channels and is a great option if you are trying to capture a realistic sound.

Cardioid is great when trying to record podcast or sung vocals and any other vocal related work. Cardioid means the microphone records only the sound that is directly in front of it, providing a rich sounding recording afterwards.

Omnidirectional mode allows for the sound to be picked up from all directions. It is good when trying to record a live performance.

Bidirectional mode records from the front as well as the rear of the microphone. It is a great way to record the nuance of a musical instrument or record an interview.

The Good & The Bad

The Pros:

When talking about the pros, the most important about any microphone is the sound quality of its recordings. So, what is the verdict here? Is it any good? Yes, the sound is great. There is no background noise and it offers a rich and full sound. This is especially true when recording acoustic guitar.

The fact that the price is around $120, depending on where you look for it, makes this a great choice. There are enough features here to satisfy even more demanding users. It is plug and play, meaning you just connect it via USB, wait for the drivers to install automatically and it’s ready. As simple as that!

Solid build quality and a 10 foot USB cable are definitely a plus, and they are combined with all the controls on the microphone like mute, headphone volume, modes and microphone gain control.

The Cons:

The biggest of the cons is the design. Although it has its pros, as stated above, the microphone can be a bit bulky, so be prepared for a larger footprint wherever you decide to put it. This size can make it a bit difficult to maneuver when using some accessories as well.

Who is This Microphone For?

It is overall a pretty versatile microphone, but the place where it has found its use case is, for the most part, podcasting. Because of the rich and clear sound it produces, people that do podcasts love this microphone. It is simple to use and inexpensive.

I have personally used this mic in many acoustic audio engineering situations – I find it extremely effective when capturing acoustic guitar lines and both male and female vocals.

The other use case is gameplay commentary. There are thousands of YouTubers who make use of the Yeti for Walkthrough’s and general humorous gameplay videos.

Conclusion

For those of us that follow the tech industry, we already know that the de facto standard for multipurpose condenser microphones around that $100 price point is the Blue Yeti microphone. It is basically the default recommendation for all those who need a good high quality microphone for that price.

7 Comments

Hi Chris, I have one, and your review is spot on, the Yeti is a great mic, I only record simple tutorial videos, but wanted a mic that would deliver a clear, crisp sound, and it does, with no background noise. It is so simple to use too, plug it in the usb and you good to go.

I wasn’t looking for a review, but when I came across yours, I read it anyway just to see what someone else thought of this mic, some may think it is a little expensive, especially for what I use it for, but I am glad I got it because it is quality and I know it will last.

You have produced a good accurate review of The Blue Yeti Mic, which should help many people make the right decision.

I am looking into doing some voice overs possibly for youtube and other projects in mind. The price tag and quality on the Blue Yeti seem to be just right for my needs. I think I will have to pick one of these up when I finally decide to pull the trigger on a microphone. Thanks for the review!

Your review of the Yeti mic is very detailed and thorough. The versatility of it is fantastic. I like its recording options. The video you have posted show some great additional information to further enhance its versatility. I have been looking for a good mic that can offer quality sound. This is definitely the best I have seen. Thanks!!!

Well I would suggest Amazon to you Derek but I’m currently in a fight with the US branch LOL (bastards!). There are thousands of retailers online mind – sometimes it’s better to go direct to audio engineering suppliers!